Spirited Away 2: Worlds Collide
by Steampunkgirl198
Summary: Haku is searching for Chihiro. Chihiro is searching for answers about her lost memories and strange dreams. When an incantation goes wrong and a parade of demons walk the earth, old powers awake, and nothing is what it seems. As the two worlds are drawn closer to their destruction, Chihiro and Haku are pulled farther and farther apart in a desperate race against the clock.
1. Spirited Away 2 Haku's Story: Part 1

"You wanted to see me?" Haku asked, walking into Zeniba's small cottage.

"Ah, there you are Haku! I was wondering when you'd get here. Have a seat." Zeniba said looking up from her knitting and pointing to the chair across from her.

"I don't have time, Boh sent me a message. He says there's something going on at the bathhouse that I should know about." He said staying in the doorway. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?" He asked suspiciously. Kind as she appeared to be, Zeniba was still Yubaba's twin sister, and he considered anyone related to her to be far from innocent.

"How is my nephew? My sister never talks to me anymore; I seem to have offended her somehow. And I certainly don't know about anything going on in the bathhouse; so you can stop looking at me like you think I'm some sort of evil spirit waiting to steal your soul. " She reprimanded him.

"My apologies. You can't really blame me for being suspicious though, my past history with witches hasn't exactly been pleasant after all." He reminded her.

"No I suppose it hasn't." She sighed, looking a bit sad. "Has Yubaba threatened you at all recently?"

"No more than usual. Though she did threatened to turn me into a pig if she ever caught me talking about-" He cut off abruptly, with a grim look on his face.

"About Chihiro?" Zeniba asked softly.

Haku nodded

"We all miss her Haku, though I suspect you feel it the most. Still no luck completely breaking your contract with Yubaba?" She asked

"Unfortunately no, nothing with Kamaji or Lin's either. Yubaba is still furious with me for helping Chihiro break her contract, she's not about to let anyone else escape anytime soon." He said.

"I've been wondering about that. I understand how she's keeping Kamaji and Lin there, but why you? The magic on your contract should have broken as soon you recovered your name." She said as Haku purposely avoided her gaze.

When Haku did not respond she asked:

"Haku? There's something else isn't there? Don't try to tell me there's another part of that contract, I was with my sister when she formed the spell for it. And besides, if you were still at the bathhouse you wouldn't need Boh sending you messages. So what's keeping you? The Spirit World is a big place, and there's not much left here for you."

"There is everything here for me." He said quietly. "Chihiro has never been to the rest of the Spirit World. If I leave how will she ever find me? I can't risk losing her again, I couldn't stand it. I have to stay here." He said, sounding very worn out and tired.

"This is what I wanted to talk to you about Haku. I've been reading the copy of Chihiro's contract you found for me. She can't come back here. If she does than Yubaba can try and force her back into her contract, or worse. And she's most likely forgotten she was ever here at all, that sometimes happens to humans when they leave this world. It's been years Haku. You can wait for as long as you like, but she'll never come." She told him firmly, but softly, not sure how he would react to such news, she hadn't forgotten his ability to morph into his true spirit form.

For a moment Haku was as still and silent as a statue, and Zeniba thought it might be best if she told him the rest when he suddenly unfroze.

"You're wrong!" He shouted angrily. "Chihiro would never forget! She swore she would come back here one day! She has too…" He trailed off as all the fight left him.

"Haku, she can't, it wouldn't be safe for her, or you. If she did, what do you think would happen when Yubaba found out? She hates Chihiro. It's safer for her in the human world." She tried to tell him.

"So what am I supposed to do? Just forget about her? You know I can't do that." He said.

"And I'm not asking you to, which you would know if you would let me finish. I'm an old lady Haku, if I don't tell you now I might forget entirely." She said.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Chihiro may not be able to come to you, but _you_ could go to her." Zeniba told him.

"What? I thought only humans could go through the passageway Chihiro used. Does this mean I could have left sooner? Why didn't you say anything ?Y-, Oww! He exclaimed, rubbing the cut on his face where Zeniba's paper figure had struck him.

"Listen! I didn't have to tell you anything Haku. But Chihiro cares about you and you both swore to find each other. Now do you want to find out how or not?" She asked him calmly.

He sighed, "Yes, please."

All rights to these characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki.


	2. Spirited Away 2 Chihiro's Story: Part 2

Chihiro sat in the window seat and watched thoughtfully as the summer storm rolled in. She'd been uncharacteristically quiet recently, and it was beginning to worry her parents. It had been years since the accident, but the unspoken concern and worried looks they shared had never completely gone away. They'd hoped that by moving into the city they could escape from the darkness that had threatened their family, and as the years passed, it had appeared as though they were right.

The nightmares and sleepwalking had long since stopped, and Chihiro had become a normal sixteen year old girl. For the most part that is. She had a few "unusual quirks" that always made her feel a bit distanced from people her own age. For example: Chihiro felt a strange sense of déjà vu whenever she boarded a bus; and she had a soft spot for the small mice that inhabited the apartment's basement, unlike the other girls, who would squeal and said they were disgusting. And she really hated spas. She wasn't sure why, but once, during a classmate's birthday party, (which was held at a particularly fancy spa, where the girl's aunt worked) Chihiro had had an anxiety attack and fainted. From then on, she had always avoided them. Not to mention that she would often wake in the middle of the night from disturbingly vivid dreams. For some reason though, she could never remember what had happened in the dreams, and would be left with the strange sensation of something tugging at the edge of her memory. She never told her parents about the dreams. She knew it would just make them worry. They'd been so relieved when she began to settle into her new school. They thought it was a sign that she'd gotten over the accident.

She could still remember seeing the shadows under their eyes, as she had watched the doctor talk to them in the hallway, outside her small room in the hospital's children's ward. He had said that she had obviously been reliving the experience of nearly drowning as a young child, and that that, mixed with the uncertainty of moving to a new place, had driven her to subconsciously try and relive the event, in hopes of "coming to terms with her fear". Chihiro thought that it was ridiculous, she had never been afraid of the water, not even after the accident. Still, it was the only explanation anyone could think of for why she had gotten up from her bed one night, in a trance-like state, and walked straight into the nearby river, nearly drowning in the process. She would have drowned, if a branch hanging over the river hadn't snagged her night gown, keeping her afloat long enough for the search party to find her. Strangely enough, the branch that saved her was dragonwood, a usually small tree that grows mainly on the East Coast of the U.S.A., nowhere near the small Japanese town. This little detail went unnoticed by everyone though, since all of their attention was focused on Chihiro. Fortunately, she hadn't suffered many physical wounds, other than a few cuts and bruises. The real problem had started when she began waking up screaming in the middle of the night, clinging to her parents and sobbing without knowing why. No matter what treatment the doctors prescribed, the nightmares wouldn't stop, to the point where Chihiro was terrified to go to sleep, and she fell into a state of exhaustion. In a final act of desperation, she and her parents had moved to a big city, far away from any rivers. At first, the doctor claimed that moving again would only worsen Chihiro's condition, but really, her parents argued, how much worse could she get? Curiously, when her parents mentioned how little of their funds were left, he seemed more inclined to agree, saying that perhaps a change of scenery was just what Chihiro needed. Having all but given up hope, that afternoon they packed up whatever belongings they could fit in the moving van and set off. Several hours after they had started driving, Chihiro's mother gasped and tugged on her husband's sleeve.

"Look," she had whispered urgently. "She's asleep!"

"And no nightmares," he'd said in awe, pulling over to the side of the road.

"How long has it been since that happened?" her mother asked, tears beginning to run down her face.

"I don't know," he laughed, starting to tear up as well. They sat in the car, watching their daughter sleep peacefully for the first time in months, and allowed themselves to hope that maybe one day this would all be just a distant memory.

A couple of hours later, not long after the sun had risen, Chihiro had raised her head sleepily to find that they were parked in front of a tall apartment building, in an unfamiliar city, and her mother was smiling broadly at her.

"Good morning Chihiro," she remembered her mother saying, without any trace of the strain that had been audible in her voice for months, "how do you feel?"

Chihiro paused, momentarily distracted by the quickly fading remnants of her dream. She couldn't recall much of it, but she could have sworn she'd heard someone calling her name, and then that cackling laugh…it made a chill run down her spine. But then she yawned deeply and realized that despite the dream, she hadn't felt this well-rested in ages.

She'd smiled back at her mother and said, "I'm starving, can we get something to eat?"

"That's my girl," her father had laughed, opening the car door. "But why don't we go check out our new apartment first? I think you're going to like it."

All rights to these characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki.


	3. Spirted Away 2 Chihiro's Story: Part 3

The next day, Chihiro was enrolled in one of the cities' many shougaku, (elementary schools) and settled into her new life without too many problems. Her mother and father joined a new corporation in the city, and eventually they moved into a nicer apartment. They also switched Chihiro to a private school when she was 12. She'd complained a bit about the uniforms, but other than that she enjoyed her new school. She'd been having trouble getting along with the other girls at her old school after the spa mishap, and was happy to have a fresh start. That was almost five years ago. Her strange dreams had never completely gone away, but they had definitely faded as time went on. Until now. Recently she had them every night, and she couldn't shake the feeling that she had forgotten something important, but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't make out any details. But with her seventeenth birthday just around the corner, the last thing she wanted to do was make her parents worry about her.

"Maybe if I wait them out the dreams will go away", she decided realizing that the storm clouds were almost overhead now. "Hmm, I was hoping to make it to Kiyomi's house before it rained," she murmured to herself, "Maybe if I run…Mom!" she called across the apartment, "Can I go to Kiyomi's house?"

"When?" Her mother called back from another room.

"Now," she answered.

"I can't drive you Chihiro," her mother replied, walking into the room, "I've got a board meeting."

"That's ok, I can walk," she said, grabbing her bag off the table next to her.

"Isn't it about to rain?" Her mother asked, pointing to the storm clouds outside the window.

"I'll walk fast," she said, "Can I go?"

"Alright," her mother sighed, "but don't stay over too late."

"Thanks Mom!" Chihiro smiled, heading to the door.

"Take your jacket with you," her mother reminded her.

"Ok," she said, grabbing it off the hook as she left. "See you later Mom."

"I really should have brought an umbrella," Chihiro grumbled as she ran for cover under a bus stop. A few minutes after she'd left the apartment it had started pouring, and it showed no signs of easing up anytime soon. She took her phone out of her bag and dialed Kiyomi's number.

"Hello?" Kiyomi answered.

"Hey Kiyomi," Chihiro said "Is it still alright if I come over?"

"Sure Chihiro, but it's pouring outside, you'll get soaked," she said.

"I'm already soaked," she replied.

"Ok, I'll see you soon then," Kiyomi said.

"See you soon," Chihiro said, "bye,"

She put her phone back, and peered through the rain for any sign of the bus. She saw headlights approaching, and dug in her bag for bus fare as it came closer.

"How far does this bus run?" She asked as the doors opened.

"Runs until the city limit," the driver said, barely sparing her a glance.

"Ok," she said choosing a seat near the front. The bus was otherwise empty, except for a hunched figure in the back row reading a newspaper. The bus passed two stops before an elderly women boarded and sat down in the row across from Chihiro.

"This is going to be a powerful storm," she said, looking out the window. "I hope you have a way home."

"Me?" Chihiro asked, surprised.

"Yes deary, the bus used to run both ways, but these days it's a one-way ride. You'll have to find your own way back," she explained.

"I will," she smiled distractedly, before turning to gaze out the window. The nagging sense that she had forgotten something had been growing stronger ever since her earlier dream. But what could she have forgotten that was so important?

"I think this is your stop dear," the woman said gently, shaking Chihiro from her thoughts.

"O-oh, you're right," Chihiro said, quickly standing up. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she smiled kindly. "It looks like the rain has stopped for now," she said, nodding to the window, "best to hurry inside before it starts up again." Chihiro nodded in agreement as she hurried off the bus.

It wasn't until she was halfway towards Kiyomi's apartment complex that Chihiro wondered how the old woman knew which stop was hers. She turned back just in time to see the bus go past, without the mysterious woman on board. Chihiro looked up and down the street in confusion, but there was no sign of her. "That's odd…" She said to herself, slowly walking towards the apartment complex. "Where could she have gone?" She didn't have long to consider it though, since at that moment lightning began to flash in the distance and the rain started to pour again. Chihiro quickly ran up the stairs to Kiyomi's apartment, all thoughts of mysterious old women and strange dreams fading away.

All rights to these characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki.


	4. Spirited Away 2 Haku's Story: Part 4

"And you're sure this will work?" Haku asked skeptically, frowning at the page of instructions Zeniba had given him.

"Of course I'm sure," Zeniba said, sounding offended. "It will work perfectly, so long as you follow the instructions. You should be able to find most of the ingredients on that list in the bathhouse, make sure Yubaba doesn't find out what you're planning though," she warned.

"I'll be careful," he agreed.

"Good, now you understand what you're to do once you've gotten the ingredients?" She asked.

"Grind them into a paste, use it to draw the symbols into the ground in front of where I want the passage to open, stand facing north while holding a candle and say the words at sunset," he recited,

"Good," Zeniba nodded, "and make sure you're not interrupted once you've drawn the symbols. Can you make sure no one will stop you?"

"Believe me, I'll make sure." Haku said coldly, his eyes flashing yellow for moment before he turned to leave. "And Zeniba," he said turning back.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Thank you," he said, before shifting to his spirit form and quickly disappearing into the distance.

"You're welcome Kohaku," she said, smiling as he disappeared.

"What are you planning Haku?" Lin asked him, sounding suspicious. After leaving Zeniba's cottage, Haku had sent a message to Kamaji asking him for the supplies he needed and saying that he could find him in the maze of flowers behind the Bathhouse. Shortly after, Lin had arrived, and was now demanding to know why he was here.

"Nothing," he said calmly. It had been years since he worked for Yubaba, but he knew Lin had never forgotten he was once the old hag's henchmen and he sensed she still didn't like him because of it...

"Uh-huh very convincing," she said sarcastically, "Can't you do any better lying Haku? You've had years of practice after all."

"Have you gotten the supplies I asked for or haven't you?" He snapped. It was bad enough for him to be this close to the Bathhouse, but having his memories of this place thrown in his face was even worse.

"Yeah, yeah, they're right here," she said, throwing the small bag full of glass vials and jars at him.

"Be careful!" He said, catching the bag and checking to make sure nothing had been broken.

"What's do you need all of this for anyways?" She asked again, glaring at him.

He sighed. "If you must know I'm running an errand for Zeniba," he lied. He knew that if he told Lin what he was truly planning, she would demand to come with him. The more involved, the more complicated it would be, he reasoned, it was best that Lin didn't know.

Lin looked unconvinced, but after a minute she stopped glaring long enough to say "Kamaji and I are really sticking our necks out for you, you know, I hope whatever you're doing is worth it."

_She is worth everything,_ he thought to himself, before simply saying, "It is." He turned away and began quickly walking back through the maze of flowers, it would be sunset soon, he needed to hurry. Behind him, he could hear Lin grumble under her breathe "What did Chihiro ever see in him?"

"I'm not sure anymore," Haku said so quietly Lin couldn't hear. "I'm really not sure." He had been so happy after his contract with Yubaba was broken and he had helped Chihiro find her way back home…but afterwards he could feel her absence like a physical wound. As the years went by, it got worse and worse, until it reached the point where he was sure it would destroy him. For years he tried to find her through dreams, willing, pleading, begging even, for her to answer him. He had tried everything he could think of to contact her, but nothing worked. He didn't want to admit how close he had come to giving up when Zeniba contacted him. _But none of that matters now, _he thought to himself, _because I'm finally going to find her, I have to._

All rights to these characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki.


	5. Spirited Away 2,Kamaji and Lin's Story:5

"What's he up to?" Lin demanded, standing just inside the boiler room and glaring at Kamaji, the soot creatures clustering around her feet.

"Who?" Kamaji asked, reaching into a drawer above her for another handful of herbs.

"You know who, Old Man," she said accusingly. "What's Haku planning?"

"Oh. That who," he said, shoulders stiffening. "It's a secret."

"Wha? What do you mean it's a secret?" She demanded.

"I mean I can't tell you. It would put you danger," he said, sending his latest bath token back to the requester.

"I'm already in danger!" She fumed. "Everyone here is! Besides, what right do you have to decide what's too dangerous for me and what's not?" The soot creatures sensed an argument, and quickly ran back to their tunnels.

"None. But I have every right to try to protect the people I care about, and if that means keeping secrets sometimes, than that's what I'll do," he said, suddenly sounding very old. "I remember when you first came here Lin. You were a slip of a girl, even smaller than Chihiro was. But you were just as determined, and you worked hard to earn your place. I told Yubaba myself that she should hire you." He sighed, "Sometimes I wish instead that I had turned you away when you came looking for a job. Then you wouldn't have been bound to this place like I am."

"You… you're the one who convinced Yubaba to hire me?" She asked quietly, a strange tone entering her voice.

"Yes," he said, sounding ashamed. "I'm sorry Lin, I should have convinced you to turn back around and go home. But I didn't, I helped trap you here instead. I trapped a _child._ I thought helping Chihiro was my chance to set things right, but it's only made things harder for the rest of you. I'm so sorry," he said again quietly.

"Sorry?" She began laughing hysterically. "You're _sorry_?"

"Lin-," Kamaji began to say, looking worried.

"Kamaji, you saved my life," she said, her voice sobering. "The Bath House was my last chance," she said. "If Yubaba hadn't killed me herself, I probably would have starved while wandering the streets. There was nothing for me to go back home too. My family was dead... everything was gone."

"What happened?" Kamaji asked quietly, still in shock that Lin wasn't mad.

"Hyakki Yagyō," she whispered.

All rights to these characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki.


	6. Spirited Away 2, Chihiro's Story: Part 6

"Are you sure you don't want to stay for dinner Chihiro?" Kiyomi asked, as Chihiro put on her jacket.

"I promised my mother that I would be back soon," Chihiro said, "Thank you for offering though. I'll see you at school," she said, stepping outside.

"See you at school," Kiyomi said. "Oh, and you don't have to use the stairs anymore, they finally fixed the elevator!"

"That's great!" Chihiro smiled. That meant she wouldn't have to run down the stairs and get soaked. "Thank you for lending me an umbrella!"

"You're welcome," Kiyomi smiled back.

"Goodbye Chihiro," called Kiyomi's mother. "Say hello to your parents for me!"

"I will," Chihiro smiled. "Goodnight, and thank you for having me over!" She said as she turned towards the elevator.

"Anytime, we love having you!" Kiyomi's mother smiled back as Chihiro waved good-bye.

"She's so polite," Chihiro heard her say as the elevator doors opened. "It wouldn't hurt for you to follow her example Kiyomi," she said.

"Alright Mom," she heard Kiyomi sigh as the doors closed.

_Being polite just seems to be my automatic response, _Chihiro thought to herself. _I never really think about it, although I know I wasn't always this way. I remember the tantrums I used to throw when I was little, I'm sure Mom and Dad are glad I grew out of _those. Chihiro grimaced as the elevator doors opened and a spray of rain hit her. _I'm glad I have an umbrella, this is becoming some storm. I thought the weather forecast was supposed to be sunny, where is all this rain coming from? _Chihiro walked quickly along the sidewalks, shivering as the rain continued to lash against coat and whipped her hair. She clutched her tote bag tighter, as a roar of thunder sent vibrations through the ground. She ran for cover under a storefront's awning, and pulled out her phone.

"Hello? Dad?" She said, straining to hear over the storm.

"Chihiro? Are you back at home? It's storming pretty hard outside kiddo," he said, sounding concerned.

"I know, I got caught in the rain," she said sheepishly, "Could you come pick me up?"

He sighed, "Chihiro…"

"I'm sorry," she said, hanging her head even though she was alone, 'I really thought I'd make it home before it got too bad."

"Alright, I'm just finishing my last errand; I'll come get you. Where are you? Can you go sit inside somewhere?" He asked.

"I'm right outside that restaurant we went to a few weeks ago, the one with the bright, red wallpaper. It's closed, but there's a little café across the street. I can wait there," she said, looking across the street at the brightly lit café on the corner.

"Sounds good. I'll see you soon," he replied.

"Thanks Dad!" She said. "I'll see you soon, bye."

"Bye," he said, ending the call.

_One, two, three, _she counted in her head, running out from underneath the awning and across the street. Despite her fast pace, she was soaked by the time she reached the café's doors. The bells hanging in the doorway chimed as she stepped inside the warm cafe, and the smell of tea and exotic spices was very strong. Apparently the café specialized in traditional tea. Chihiro hadn't heard of, much less tried, half the things on the board. She picked a citrus based tea, and sat at one of the window booths so she could watch for her father. The café itself was very interesting, with beautiful tapestries and screens that looked almost real covering the walls, traditional music playing softly from an unseen speaker, and low lighting that came from strings of paper lanterns. There were normal booths and bar stools for seating, as well as an area with traditional low tables and cushions. Chihiro watched the rain continue to fall for a few minutes before sighing and picking up her tote bag.

"I may as well get some homework done while I'm waiting," she said to herself, rifling through her bag. "Let's see…please read the following passages and complete the assignment below, blah, blah, blah…sign your name and return to teacher…Ok, boring, but easy." "

Alright," she began, "Hyakki Yagyō: The Hundred Demon Night Parade."

All rights to these characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki.


	7. Spirited Away 2, Hyakki Yagyō Part: 7

*Please note, you will not miss any part of the story if you don't read this chapter. However, it does explain quite a few things that happen in later chapters.

**Hyakki Yagyō: The Hundred Demon Night Parade**

Legend has it, that every year, yōkai, a class of supernatural monsters, are led by the demon known as Nurarihyon in the Hundred Demon Night Parade. This parade is known in Japanese Folklore as Hyakki Yagyō, and supposedly takes to the streets during summer nights. Anyone who comes across the procession is said to die, unless "protected." Protection refers to handwritten scrolls made by anti-yokai, or Onmyoji Spellcasters. Only an Onmyoji Clanhead is said to be strong enough to pass Nurarihyon's Hyakki Yagyo unharmed.

**Onmyōji**

Onmyōji Spellcasters were specialists in magic and divination, who acted as civil servants belonging to the Bureau of Onmyō in ancient Japan's ritsuryo system. Their court responsibilities ranged from tasks such as keeping track of the calendar, to mystical duties such as divination and protection of the capital from evil spirits. They could divine auspicious or harmful influences in the earth, and were instrumental in the moving of capitals. It is said that an onmyōji could also summon and control small ghosts, known as shikigami. If the evoker was well-experienced, his shikigami could possess animals and people as well as manipulate them. But if the evoker was careless, his shikigami could get out of control in time, gaining its own will and consciousness. In this case, the shikigami would attack its own master and kill him in revenge.

**Nurarihyon**

An especially powerful Japanese yōkai, the Nurarihyon was usually depicted as an old man with a gourd-shaped head wearing a kesa, and was sometimes said to be the leader of the yōkai. Nurarihyon would sneak into someone's house while they were away, drink their tea, and act as if it was his own house. Because he looked human, anyone who saw him would mistake him for the owner of the house, making it very hard to expel him.

**In the space below, or on a separate sheet of paper, please answer the following questions.**

1.) What is Hyakki Yagyō?

2.) What is said to happen to someone who encounters Hyakki Yagyō, and what could be done to prevent it?

3.) What roll did the Onmyōji Spellcasters play in ancient Japan's ritsuryo system, and what were some of their talents?

4.) What are shikigami?

5.) Who is Nurarihyon, and why was he hard to get rid of?

**Bonus Assignment:**

Write a one paragraph-minimum essay on how Japanese Folklore has affected culture today. **Please include your reasoning, as well as at least three examples of said effects.**


	8. Spirited Away 2, Chihiro's Story: Part 8

Chihiro half-heartedly read through her homework, more focused on watching the storm rage outside and sipping her quickly cooling tea. She sifted through her bag looking for a pencil, as the bells in the doorway chimed, announcing the arrival of a new customer.

"Hello again dearie," a voice said from behind her, making Chihiro jump in surprise.

"Oh…oh! Hello," Chihiro said, it was the elderly woman from the bus.

"We seem to be running into each other quite a bit today," the old woman smiled. "Do you mind if I join you?" She asked, gesturing to the empty seat across from Chihiro.

"Not at all," Chihiro said, clearing her schoolwork off the table and sliding it into her bag. "I didn't get a chance to introduce myself before, I'm Chihiro Ogino."

"Chihiro, what a pretty name," she smiled. "It's very nice to meet you Chihiro. My name is Sumiko, but nowadays everyone calls me Granny."

"It's nice to meet you Miss Sumiko-" she started to say.

"Granny," she insisted, with a kind smile.

"It's nice to meet you Granny," Chihiro smiled back.

"You were in quite a hurry when I saw you earlier," Granny said. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, I was just distracted," Chihiro said, "Thank you for asking though." _Had it really been just that afternoon since she'd talked to Granny? It felt so long ago…_

"Anytime dearie," she said.

"Do you live around here?" Chihiro asked, "I don't think I've ever seen you on the bus before."

"This city was my childhood home," she said "But these days I travel frequently. I haven't been back here in quite some time. So much has changed!"

"Has it?" Chihiro asked, curious, "I moved here with my mom and dad several years ago, but before that I'd lived in a couple of other places."

"Do you like it here?" Granny asked.

"Yeah, I do," she said, a bit surprised by her answer. She'd never really thought about it, but she was happier here than she'd been in a long time. It seemed like the longer she stayed here, the more her dark past felt like a distant memory. Of course, she'd been having nightmares recently…

"You seem like you could use a good night's sleep," Granny said, as if reading her mind.

"I really could!" Chihiro laughed. Something about Granny seemed very familiar, it made her feel comfortable and at home, like she could tell Granny anything. She just couldn't figure out what it was...

"Maybe you should go to bed early the next few nights," Granny suggested, "A good night's sleep can do wonders for a troubled mind."

"That does sound like a good idea," Chihiro agreed, "But I doubt anyone will be going to bed early tomorrow, since it's the night of the festival. My school helps set up some of the decorations every year, and we even have our own stall. Have you ever been to the festival?"

"Festivals are overrated," Granny said flatly. "You wouldn't be missing anything dearie. It might be a good chance for a quiet night at home instead. Spend some time with your family maybe?" She suggested. "You have to be careful my dear, if you let them, people will work you until you breathe your _very last breath_." This time, Granny's kind voice had an edge to it when she spoke, and her eyes had an odd glint in them. Chihiro remembered a voice similar to hers...But who had it been?

"Thank you for your concern," Chihiro said carefully, trying to keep her voice level, "I'll definitely keep your advice in mind." Just as she was about to say more, her phone began to ring. "I'm sorry, do you mind if I?" She asked, gesturing to her phone.

"Not at all," she smiled, her voice back to its kind tone.

"Chihiro, what are you doing kiddo? I've been waiting out here for five minutes," her father said.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She apologized. "I'll be right out!"

"It sounds like your father is here," Granny smiled, finishing her tea. "It was nice talking with you Chihiro. Perhaps we'll meet again someday."

"Uh-huh," Chihiro nodded distractedly, still listening to her father.

Granny chuckled softly to herself as she walked to the counter, stopping only to slip a small piece of paper into Chihiro's bag.

"How may I help you?" The young man behind the counter asked.

"I'd like to pay for the young lady I was sitting with," Granny smiled, handing the cashier several heavy coins. They had strange symbols on them, and appeared to be very old.

"Will that be all for today?" The cashier asked, seemingly oblivious to the strangeness of the coins.

"Yes, thank you," she smiled, turning to leave.

"Have a nice evening Mam," he said.

"And you as well," she nodded, stepping outside.

"Who were you talking to Chihiro?" Her dad asked, as the cashier came over with her check.

"Oh, well earlier today on the bus, I met this very kind old woman named Sumiko, and she came into this café just after I got here. We talked for a while, and she told me about how she grew up here, and I told her about my school and the festival tomorrow," Chihiro explained.

"That's nice;" her dad said, "but who were you talking to after she left?" He sounded worried, Chihiro noticed. Maybe she hadn't been covering up her lack of sleep as well as she thought… "There wasn't anyone with you when I pulled up."

_What? _Chihiro thought to herself. _That isn't possible, Granny just got up. She's probably still at the counter paying for her tea. _Chihiro turned around to look for her, but Granny was already gone. Confused, Chihiro turned back around and noticed the receipt the cashier had put on the table. _Wait, aren't I supposed to go to the counter to pay? _She looked at the receipt again, and was shocked to see she owed nothing. Stranger still, the back of the receipt was covered in strange symbols. _Is this some kind of joke? _

"Chihiro? Chihiro!" Her father said loudly, tearing her from her thoughts. "Are you even listening to me?"

"S-sorry," she said again. "I, I'll be right out." She hung up before he could reply, and walked quickly to the cashier. "Why don't I owe anything?" She asked.

"Oh, the woman you were sitting with paid for you," he smiled. "Is there a problem?"

"N-no," she said. "Did you see which way she went?"

"Uh, I think she turned left once she was outside," he said, looking confused, "But I don't know where she went from there. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine," Chihiro said softly. She had disappeared_, again_.

"Have a nice evening," he called after her as she ran out the door.

All rights to these characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki.


	9. Spirited Away 2, Chihiro's Story: Part 9

"Thanks for waiting," Chihiro said, pausing to catch her breath. "I completely overslept this morning."

"No problem," Kiyomi said, echoed by several of the other girls sitting with her on the school's front steps in the shade. It was still early in the morning, but the sun's heat was already strong.

"Overslept, huh?" One of the girls smiled teasingly. "You must have had a late night. Could our dear Miss Ogino have been out with a _booooy?" _

_"_No!" Chihiro said, as she sat down, mentally cursing herself for sounding so defensive. Now they'd never let up.

_"_Ooooh!" Several of the girls squealed. "So defensive!"

"You know what that means," one of them smiled.

"So, who's the lucky guy?" One of them asked.

"There is no guy!" Chihiro insisted. Well, except for her brief conversation with the cashier at the café, but she was pretty sure that didn't count. She'd seen boys she considered attractive, and she knew that some of them considered _her _attractive; she'd just never…spoken to them, or made eye contact, or done anything else to alert them of her existence on the planet. It just hadn't

"Hmm, I'm not sure I believe her girls. Do you?" Kiyomi asked, answered by a chorus of no's and nu-uh's.

"Kiyomi, you're supposed to be on _my _side," Chihiro protested.

"Sorry Chihiro, but you know what they say: All's fair in love and war."

"Yeah, yeah," Chihiro muttered. Annoying as they were, they meant well. And she would much rather have them think she was seeing a guy than thinking she was going insane. She'd spent the ride home last night convincing her dad that he just hadn't see Granny because of the angle the window was at. Saying that, sure, she was a under a little stress from school, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. Really, she didn't need to start therapy again. Even after all these years her parents feared she would go under again.

"So who is this mystery guy?" One of them asked again, bringing Chihiro back to the present.

"Girls, girls, let's be fair," Kiyomi smirked, "Chihiro could be juggling two guys. We all know what an over-achiever she can be," she said with a wink.

"You're just a horrible person, aren't you?" Chihiro groaned, shouldering her bag as the school bell began to ring.

"Yep, and that's why you love me," Kiyomi smiled, following her into the building after waving goodbye to the other girls.

"You're in a good mood today," Chihiro observed, as they walked to their first class. "Much better than last night."

"Last night I did not have a companion for tonight's festivities," Kiyomi said with mock seriousness.

"And now you do?" Chihiro guessed. This was typical Kiyomi, moody one moment, perky the next all depending on whether or not she got a phone call.

"Yes! Tonight, we dance!" She said, twirling down the hall and managing to scatter a group of freshmen in all directions.

"Hey Kiyomi," Chihiro said. "You think I'm pretty…normal, not like-" _crazy or anything…_she thought.

Kiyomi froze. "Why do you ask?"

"Well it's just…" Chihiro trailed off. How could she tell Kiyomi about yesterday without freaking her out? And what about her all-to-real nightmares?

"Are you alright Chihiro?" Kiyomi asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Chihiro said with a forced smile. "I've just been feeling kind of tired recently." At least that much was true. She'd had more nightmares last night, more vivid than ever before, and she was exhausted.

"Well tonight's festival will be just the thing to cheer you up then!" Kiyomi smiled, as they came to a stop in front of their classroom. "Come on, we're going to be late for class."

"Is everyone present?" The teacher, a middle aged woman with short, dark hair, asked.

"Yes, Miss Tanaka," the class chorused as Chihiro and Kiyomi slid into their seats.

"Good," Miss Tanaka said. "I trust everyone completed their assignments last night? Today we will be continuing our discussion on Japanese Folklore, and afterwards, in celebration of tonight's festival, we will head to the art room to help make decorations for the school's stall." Several students cheered at the announcement, glad for an excuse to be out of the classroom.

"Just try to relax," Kiyomi whispered to Chihiro, as their teacher began the lesson, "Everything will be fine; you'll see."

"Thanks Kiyomi," Chihiro whispered back with a smile, as she opened her textbook. _Kiyomi's right, _Chihiro thought to herself, _I worry too much. After all, what's the worst that could happen? _

All rights to these characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki.

*I know the past couple of chapters have been all about Chihiro, but I promise the next one will feature some of the other characters!


	10. Spirited Away 2 Many Stories: Part 10

"Well, what's the worst that could happen?" Kohaku muttered as he finished drawing the last symbol. He'd been unable to perform the spell the previous day due to the storm, but today, the skies had been clear and showed no signs of changing. He was in a small clearing in the woods, just beyond the edges of the bath houses' stable. He didn't like being so close by, but the dense trees offered seclusion, and it was vital that no one discover what he was planning. He'd gone over the instructions Zeniba had given him several times, but he was still skeptical as to whether or not it would work. He was no witch, the odds were against him, and the more he thought about it, the more unnerving the "worst that could happen" seemed. _But it means a chance at finding Chihiro, _he reminded himself. _I swore I would find her. If there's any possibility of it working, I have to try. Whatever happens, no matter how bad, she's worth it. _

Having finished the last symbol, he stood up and checked to make sure that everything was ready. Reassure that everything was as it should be; he forced himself to sit down again and not fidget. It wouldn't be long now until sunset, but until then, there was nothing to do but wait.

"I'd heard Nurarihyon was strong, but I had no idea he was so destructive," Kamaji said. Lin had just finished telling him the story of how her entire town was destroyed in a single night, and if what she said was true…

"No one did," Lin said sadly. "He said he was searching for someone, and he thought they were in the town. When we were unable to tell him where the person he was searching for was, he became enraged. He set his parade of demons loose on the town, and they destroyed everything. He had old magic, and we were powerless to stop him. My parents hid me away in our cellar, and told me not to come out no matter what; but I did. I heard their voices and then there was yelling…I wanted to help, but when I peeked out from underneath the trap door… There were two demons in the house. They killed my mother and father…and I'm sure they would have killed me if they hadn't been called back. I ran over to my parents and tried to wake them up…I couldn't except that they were gone. When morning came though, I heard voices again. Scavengers had come from one of the nearby towns to take anything they could find, and I knew I had to leave. I followed the train tracks for days, until I made it here. And here I am still."

"I wonder who he was looking for," Kamaji said, lost in thought.

"I don't know," Lin said, thinking back to the life she had lost. "I should get back before someone notices I'm gone," she said, getting to her feet. Kamaji nodded in agreement, the bath house would be opening soon, and it was almost sundown.

"I wonder how things are going with Kohaku's spell," he said to himself, after Lin left. It had taken some convincing, but he had finally gotten Lin to agree to wait until it was over for him to tell her what the spell was for. Suddenly three bath tokens arrived, and Kamaji hit the gong to wake up the soot creatures. "Come on you lazy soot balls! Get to work!" He shouted. As they toiled, smoke rose from the boiler, clouding the view of Yubaba's crystal ball.

"A spell? Perhaps it's time I paid my old apprentice a visit," Yubaba smiled. When would these fools realized there was nothing they could hide from her? She'd learned her lesson with that pathetic human. She had been made the laughingstock of the Spirit World by a _mortal. _Not to mention how much gold she'd lost repairing the bath house! She'd never gotten to thank Sen _or_ Haku for that. But it seemed like now she had the perfect chance…

"Come on Chihiro! It's almost sundown!" Kiyomi called, standing impatiently at the end of the street.

"I'm coming!" Chihiro called back, smiling. The rest of the day had been completely ordinary; just what she needed after the strangeness of the past few days. The setting sun made the sky look like something out of a painting, she was going to a festival with her friends, and even the air just felt…lighter. Like all of her worries had been carried away with the passing storm. It felt like things were finally starting to look up.

"So, what are these paper things for again?" Kiyomi asked, holding up something resembling a paper doll with wings. Her 'companion', who had turned out to be Akio, one of the nicer boys from their year, had called to say he was running late, so she and Chihiro were wandering around and visiting all the stalls in the meantime.

"They're called shikigamis*. Weren't you paying attention in class today?" Chihiro chided jokingly. The stall they were currently at was selling dozens of the little paper figures as souvenirs, and the ones hanging up waved in the warm breeze like flags.

"Define 'paying attention'," Kiyomi said with a smile, handing over the three shikigamis she had decided to buy to the man running the stall. She quickly spun around with a big grin as the sound of drums suddenly filled the air. "Do you hear that?" She squealed like an excited child. The parade is about to start! Let's go!" She said, dragging Chihiro through the crowds towards the direction of the sound.

"You're in a hurry," Chihiro grinned as they made their to the road where the parade would start.

"Of course," Kiyomi said, as if Chihiro didn't understand something perfectly simple. "That's how you get the best spot!"

"Well of course!" Chihiro said sarcastically. "Whatever was I thinking?"

"Quiet you," Kiyomi said sternly as she forced their way to the front of the crowd. "Oh! I almost forgot, this is for you!' She said, handing Chihiro one of the shikigamis.

"You didn't have to do that!" Chihiro said, genuinely surprised.

"No, but I wanted to," she smiled. "You've seemed kind of down lately," she paused, "So I also told Akio to bring his cousin who was visiting to the festival to meet you!" She finished quickly, a sly grin on her face.

"Y-you did what?!" Chihiro stammered. "Kiyomi!"

"You'll thank me one day," she smirked.

"Assuming I don't kill you first," Chihiro growled threateningly, glaring at Kiyomi.

"Ah, ah, ah!" Kiyomi said, wagging her finger. "Witnesses!" She said in a sing-song voice, gesturing to the crowd around them.

"Fine," Chihiro sighed. "You live, _for now._"

"That's what I like to hear!" Kiyomi smiled. Just then, the sound of drums amplified, and the crowds began to cheer. It was time for the parade to begin.

In the small clearing, Kohaku stood up and gazed at the sky. The sun was barley a sliver on the horizon, the blood-red streaks that had run through the sky beginning to give way to the rich purple of twilight. It was time to begin.

All rights to these characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki.


	11. Spirited Away 2 World's Collide: Part 11

Kohaku lit the candle with a wave of his hand, and stood among the symbols he had painted on the ground. Taking a deep breath, he turned so he was facing north and began the spell. As he spoke, the symbols began to glow, and a line connecting them together formed a circle around him. He was so absorbed in the incantation, he didn't notice the figure emerging from woods until a voice he had hoped never to hear again rang across the clearing.

"Hello Haku," Yubaba said, walking to the edge of the circle.

Even though his shoulders stiffened, Kohaku didn't miss a beat. He continued to chant as Yubaba walked the perimeter, trying to keep the witch in his sights at all times. Slowly, he pulled a slip of paper from the folds of his shirt with his free hand. Along with the instructions Zeniba had given him, she had also included a possible escape route should something go wrong. The piece of paper silently unfolded until it resembled a small paper doll with wings.

"So this is the spell you've been planning," she said, coming to a stop before him. "A portal to the Human World…to find your little human perhaps?" She asked, watching his every move. "It would be a shame if someone were to get to her before you did." She laughed cruelly at the expression on his face. "Hmm…nothing to say? How about this?" She asked, as the landscape around them suddenly disappeared, replaced by a dark side street. Beyond the small street, there was an overwhelming crowd of humans, cheering as a procession of strange creatures and bright, oddly dressed figures marched and danced down the main road. The sound of drums boomed from all directions, and hundreds of lanterns illuminated the world beautifully. However, none of this even registered in Kohaku's mind, because at that moment, he saw the person who had filled his thoughts and dreams for years, and his heart soared.

"_Chihiro!" _He desperately wanted to call out to her, but the spell wasn't finished yet and he still had to deal with Yubaba. A few seconds later the joy rising up inside him vanished as he saw the person next to her. A young man, who looked to be the same age as Chihiro, had his arm wrapped around her shoulder. And she looked happy. The boy said something Kohaku couldn't hear, and Chihiro laughed, smiling up at him.

"Chihiro…" he whispered, realizing too late he hadn't yet finished the spell. The world around him began to fade away, as Yubaba's laugh echoed in the back of his mind. _NO! _His mind screamed, as he fought against the darkness threatening to overtake him. He wasn't helpless, and he refused to be defeated like this. "It's not real!" He shouted, "It's a lie!" Remembering the shikigami still clutched in his hand, he commanded it to shield him from Yubaba and then morphed into his dragon form. He had never commanded a shikigami before, so when it silently asked "_How?" _he answered without thinking. "_I don't care, any way you can!" _When he sensed the creature's joy, he realized he'd made a grave mistake. "Yes_, Master_." It hissed, no longer bound to its paper form. It looked like a monstrous demon made of shadows, and Kohaku had only a moment to curse his foolishness before it turned on him and the world went dark.

/\

Chihiro forced herself to laugh again, and she faked a kind smile. Akio's cousin was a nice enough guy, but he and Chihiro didn't have much in common. Plus his jokes were getting old fast. Still, it was nothing she couldn't handle, and the parade really was amazing this year. _"Chihiro!" _she turned as she heard someone call her name.

"Everything alright?" Akio's cousin asked, taking his arm off her shoulder.

_Small blessing, _she thought to herself. Her shoulder had been falling asleep. "No, I just thought I heard someone calling my name," she said, scanning the crowd for a familiar face. Something was so familiar about that voice…the tugging sensation at the edge of her mind became almost painful it was so strong. "I-I'm going to go get something to drink," she stammered, managing a weak smile.

"Ok," he slowly smiled back, not looking entirely convinced. As Chihiro walked away, she heard him mutter to Akio, "I don't think she likes me very much..."

"Maybe it's because of those stupid jokes you were telling," Akio muttered back.

"They weren't that bad!" He cried indignantly. "Were they?"

They're squabbling voices faded away as Chihiro pushed her way through the crowd, drawn by a need to escape the noise of the parade and all the bright lights. "_Chihiro…" _The voice called again, so faint she could barely hear it. Her head started to pound, and as she stumbled down a small side street everything around her began to blur together, making her feel sick. Suddenly, the world around her was no longer vibrant and cheery. The drums sounded like the marching feet of an army, the lights gave everything an eerie glow, and the masks of those in the parade she could see in the distance looked sinister and deformed. _Wait, _she thought to herself, looking around in bleary confusion as the shrouded figures in the stalls beckoned to her from all directions. _How did I get back to the main road?_ _And where are Kiyomi and the others? _The ethereal music surrounding her grew louder, pounding in her ears until she thought they would bleed. She stumbled forward and stopped, as the pounding music ceased, and the world seemed to hold its breath. She realized she was in the middle of the street, and a gasp caught in her throat as she looked up. The parade was right in front of her now, and at its head was none other than Nurarihyon himself, the leader of the Hundred Demon Night Parade.

/\

_He's shorter than I thought he'd be, _Chihiro thought to herself in a strange calm, as her mind struggled to make sense of what was going on. He had a long scar running across the left side of his face, stretching from his temple to a few inches below his left ear. It ran across his left eye, which was a bluish-milky white, and obviously blind.

"Who dares cross the path of Hyakki Yagyō?" Nurarihyon demanded, glaring at Chihiro. He sniffed the air and said with distaste, "A human?" He said 'human', as someone else might say 'a diseased rat'. "What is your name, _mortal?" _

"My name is Chihiro Ogino," she said, her voice sounding like it belonged to somebody else. Something in the back of her mind warned her too late not to answer.

"Hmm. And tell me, where did you get that protection spell?" He asked, still glaring at her.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Chihiro said. The fog clouding her mind had begun to lift, and she was becoming seriously worried that she had finally snapped.

"Do not lie to me!" He shrieked, stomping his right foot. It would have been funny to see what appeared to be a very old man throwing a hissy fit, had the demons behind him not been reacting to his anger. Up until now they had remained as still as if they were made of stone. But now, they began to growl and slither and hiss with eyes glowing and teeth gnashing like the monsters they were. Chihiro could sense their hunger, and she knew that they were dying to destroy everything in sight. Starting with her.

"The spell written on the small scroll in your bag!" He yelled. "Only an Onmyoji Clanhead could have cast it, and I recognize the signature. It's _hers, _the one who did _this _to me," he growled, pointing to his blind eye. "Tell me where she is, I command you to tell me, _Chihiro Ogino!" _

Chihiro remembered someone once telling her that names had power, and it seemed that they had been right. For when he commanded her by name to answer, she acted against her own will, pulling out a slip of paper from her bag. "Is this the scroll you're talking about?" She asked, holding up the curling receipt from the café covered with strange symbols. "It was given to me by a person known as Granny Sumiko. Is that who you're talking about?"

"Yes!" He shrieked, practically foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog. "Clanhead Sumiko is the one who did this to me! Tell me where she is! Tell me!" The demons behind him were in a frenzy, desperate to be unleashed.

"I don't know," she said honestly, struggling to keep calm as the demons continued to howl and scream like rabid dogs trying to escape their chains. "I only met her twice, and both time she just disappeared. I don't know where she went, honestly."

"LIES!" He screamed, striking her across the face, his nails drawing lines of blood across her face. The demons went wild. "Insufferable mortal! Stupid child! I may not be able to kill you myself, but I can make sure someone else does!" He raised his arms and glared at with such rage she felt herself shrink back involuntarily. "_Chihiro Ogino, I banish you!" _He screamed.

The last thing she heard was a blood-chilling cry that could never have been made by a human. It was rage and sorrow and sadistic joy all mixed into one. It made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, and she shuddered. It was the call of the Hundred Demon Night Parade.

/\

On a dark side street just beyond a vibrant festival, there lay the unconscious body of a young man in strange clothes. He had short, dark hair, pale skin, and beneath his closed eyelids, were iris' the color of jade.

/\

Standing on crumbling steps leading into a dark body of water, their stood what would appear to anyone else as a young man gazing at his reflection. They would be wrong. It had short, dark hair, pale skin, and the jade green eyes of a once well-known river spirit. It lifted a callused hand to the face of its "Master", and laughed, taking joy in the new form. It was identical to the original, and it would suit its purpose perfectly. _There was no time to waste gloating though_, it reminded itself. _I have a human to find._

/\

In a distant corner of the Spirit World, a teenage girl with brown hair lays unconscious beneath an archway in the woods. On the archway, the words "Rei no sekai e yōkoso" are written. "Welcome to the Spirit World."

End of Section 1. (Sounds dramatic doesn't it? Please see below for why I love cliffhangers! As well as some other stuff you might actually want to know since it has to do with this story.)

All rights to these characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki.

Why do I love cliffhangers? No idea, just do. :) Now about that other stuff...

Well! That took longer than I thought it would! When I first started this fanfic I thought it would only be a few chapters long. As you can see though, it didn't quite turn out that way...I've really enjoyed writing this so far, and hopefully there will be many more chapters to come! However, after posting an intermission chapter, I may take a short break from this fanfic to work on my other story, which can be found at FictionPress or deviantART and is called Zhilan's Story under the same screen name I am currently using. Feedback on my OC story would be much appreciated, as would any feedback or questions about my Spirited Away 2 fanfic! Until next time, Farewell! (Yes, I _did_ said farewell.)


	12. Intermission

**Intermission!**

**Spa Treatment**

"Oh cheer up Chihiro, it will be _fun_!" Her mother insisted, sighing at her daughter's skeptical gaze in the rearview mirror. "At least pretend to be happy," he mother said, "You don't want to be rude to Akemi and her family do you?"

"No," Chihiro murmured, staring out the window. Her mother was right. She should have been excited about going to Akemi's birthday party, but all she felt was tension at the idea of spending the day with her classmates. She'd had no trouble making new friends at her new school at first. But once she'd been caught spacing out and drawing strange creatures one too many times, rumors had spread and things went downhill fast. Maybe this was her chance to make things better though. If she could make it through today without anything going wrong, things could change for the better. Maybe. The dreams had stayed away ever since they moved, and Chihiro was determined to show her parents she was okay now.

"Look Chihiro, we're here!" Her mother exclaimed, tearing Chihiro from her thoughts. "Wow, this place is really nice... I want you on your best behavior Chihiro Ogino!" She said sternly.

"Okay Mom," she said, staring at the resort. The building was made entirely of flawless white stone, and crystal clear glass that glittered in the sun. It looked brand-new, as if it had just been opened that day. Akemi's cousin was a manager at the resort, and her family had reserved the master suite for the whole day. They were very well-off.

"Do you have the present?" Her mother asked as they pulled into a parking space.

"Yes," she said, unbuckling her seatbelt. They had spent hours searching for the right gift the previous day, before finally settling on sparkly purple scarf and a bottle of matching nail polish.

"Good," she said, as they walked to the entrance together. When they entered the pristine lobby, completed with a skylight in the domed ceiling and three separate fountains, a woman wearing all white and carrying a clipboard approached them.

"Chihiro Ogino?" She asked cheerily.

"That's her," Chihiro's mother smiled.

"I'll take her from here," the woman smiled, "Follow me please," she said walking down the adjoining hallway.

"I'll see you at 5:00 Chihiro!" Her mother called after her.

"Bye," she called back, attempting to smile as she followed the woman down the hall.

...

Hanako, Chou, Katsumi, Miki, Sayuri, and several girls Chihiro didn't know the names of had already arrived when she stepped into the suite.

"Hi Chihiro!" Akemi smiled, coming over to greet her. "Come over here with us! You can put the gift on that table over there," she said, pointing to a table overloaded with presents.

"Ok," Chihiro smiled back, placing the gift besides something that looked suspiciously like bike. _Oh…maybe we should have gotten her something…bigger? _She thought worriedly to herself. She'd liked what they picked out yesterday, but looking at all the stuff here…she wasn't so sure anymore.

"Come on Chihiro!" Akemi called as another girl walked into the room, "Everyone's here now, let's go!"

Chihiro did her best to smile and appear cheerful, but there was a pit of unease growing in her stomach, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong.

...

"Hey Chihiro, are you okay? You look almost as green as the seaweed!" Miki exclaimed, looking at Chihiro nervously.

The anxious, ill-at-ease feeling Chihiro had experienced earlier wasn't getting any better; in fact, it was getting a lot worse. Something about this place was putting her nerves on edge, she just couldn't figure out what. They'd spent the last two hours having a mani pedi, getting their hair done, 'enjoying' a seaweed wrap, and now they were supposed to soak in an 'herbal formula' for another half hour. Chihiro was hating every minute of it.

They hadn't even eaten anything except for some mints. And all of the people there looked like that _w_as all they ate. _I wonder if I pretended to be sick if they'd send me home… _She thought to herself before answering Miki.

"Yeah I'm fine," Chihiro lied, "Just hungry."

"I knoooow!" Miki groaned. "But look how beautiful everyone here is! And they barely eat anything! If they can do it, so can I!" She said, as they followed the other girls down the hall.

_But why would you want to? _Chihiro thought to herself as she trailed behind the other girls. _Is making yourself miserable just to weigh a little less or look a little better really worth it? It's not like it will last. No matter what you do, you'll grow old one day… _She was pulled from her thoughts by the loud oohs and ahhs of the other girls. She hurried down the hall to catch up. The girls were standing in their bathing suits (swimsuits), staring in amazement at the size of the room.

"Wow!" Katsumi exclaimed, "It's amazing!"

"It's huge!" Sayuri said.

"The decorations are beautiful," Chou added.

They really were, Chihiro agreed. The giant room was dived into multiple smaller 'rooms' by beautiful paper screens and had an arching ceiling. In each room there were tubs that could be filled with steaming water infused with all kinds of herbs and minerals, which were said to have "healing properties" and meant to be "relaxing and refreshing", the woman, whose name Chihiro had already forgotten, said. At the end of the room was a tub the size of a swimming pool, designed to look like a hot spring. It was filled with murky water. The other girls noticed it too.

"Yuck! Why is the water all dirty?" Hanakou asked.

"It's just filled with bath salts," the woman explained, "they're good for your skin. You don't want wrinkles when you get older do you?"

"No!" The other girls chorused. Chihiro remained staring at the water. There was something about this place…She began to edge away from the water.

"What's the matter Chihiro?" One of the girls asked, "Afraid of the water?"

"No, I was just thinking about how they must just use the salts so you can't see all the sludge in the tub," Chihiro answered back.

"Eew!" Several of the girls shrieked, jumping back from the water.

"There's no sludge!" Akemi fumed, looking less and less pleased that she'd invited Chihiro. "Why would you even say something like that? This is a _nice _place."

"Of course _Chihiro _would say something weird," a few of the girls giggled.

"Oh don't be mean," Hanakou smirked, "Chihiro's probably just never been somewhere that wasn't filthy."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Chihiro growled.

"Oh really? Well then maybe Sayuri was right. Maybe you're just scared. I heard you almost drowned once.."

"I'm not _scared," _she hissed. Why were they picking on her? Why had she even come? The lights in here were too bright and she was starting to feel light headed. She closed her eyes and tried to focus.

"What? Are you going to _cry? _Poor baby," Sayuri mocked.

"Guys…she doesn't look so good…" Miki said, looking uncomfortable.

"Stay out of it Miki," Akemi snapped, despite looking uncertain as well.

"I'm not scared. I'm fine," Chihiro mumbled. She felt like she was going to fall over.

"Then why don't you prove it Chihiro!" Someone said, pushing her into the water.

It didn't shock her awake like cold water would have. Instead, she felt herself sink slowly deeper as a wave of calm came over her. The pool was much deeper than she'd realized. All the stress and anxiety she'd felt earlier was gone, replaced by a gentle voice, urging her to just let go. And she might have, had a second voice not demanded her attention.

_"Chihiro!" It called. "Chihiro! Chihiro, answer me please!"_

_"Go away…" she told the voice. "I'm trying to sleep."_

_"Yes. Sleep," the first voice said. _

_"Chihiro! Chihiro!" It continued to call. _

_Why can't he just leave me alone? She wondered._ _ His voice was so familiar…Maybe if she called him by name he'd go away…hadn't someone once told her names had power? _

_"Chihiro? Chihiro…" the voice faded._

_Finally, she thought. Everything was getting darker…_

_"It's time to rest," the other voice said. And then it laughed. _Something was wrong. The realization flickered across her remaining consciousness. That laugh… it made her shudder. She struggled to open her eyes and felt her lungs burning. She couldn't breathe! She struggled to stand but was met with nothingness. The darkness was coming back, but it was no longer comforting. Panic toke hold of her, and she struggled until she was no longer sure which way was up. She heard someone shouting her name again, but their voice was lost to the darkness.

….

Later, it was said that Chihiro had slipped and fell into the pool, hitting her head on the way down. She switched schools the next year, made friends with a girl in her class named Kiyomi, and no one spoke of it again. Chihiro never mentioned the voices she'd heard, and eventually they were forgotten.

All rights to these characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki.

So THAT'S what happened at the spa!

I apologize for taking so long to update! It has been a hectic past few weeks! On a happy (er) note, I'm taking a writing class! (gonna learn all SORTS of fancy writin' tricks I am...) Now that things have calmed down (sort of) I'll be updating more often. In the meantime, feedback on my other story would be sincerely appreciated! It's currently posted on fictionpress under the same screen name I use here, and is called Zhilan's Story. It's the first multi-chapter story with all oc characters I've written, and I'd really like to know what people think of it! Thank you all for reading my fanfic and leaving such nice comments!


	13. Spirited Away 2 Sibling Rivalry: Part 12

_F__ive thousand years, _he thought, sitting hidden in the shadows a few yards from the dark water. It was a long time, even for a creature like himself. For thousands of years he'd roamed the Spirit and Human World alike; known by all and feared by many. Even the strongest of his kind had been no match for him. The only ones near equal to his might had been his own kin. So he had hunted them down through the worlds one by one, and destroyed them. He had been within reach of his triumph, when his remaining family lead him into a trap, and drained him of his power. His sister Amaterasu had been behind it; she'd always hated him, saying he had brought nothing but destruction and ruin to the two worlds. She was the first true witch, and she used her gift to banish him to a dimension in the darkest corner of Yomi, with all who remained loyal to his cause. They grew weaker and weaker, until they were mere shadows of their former selves. As the child born first after him, Amaterasu became the eldest, and rose to power along with two of her kin. As further humiliation, she laid a curse upon him and his followers, binding them to serve whoever summoned them from their bleak world until they were sent back. She was no fool though. She knew that he was clever, and so she wove a precautionary measure into her curse, one that prevented him from ever being summoned. Until now.

He knew the world was no longer what he remembered it to be, reports from those who had been summoned revealed that. But nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. As time went on, they had been summoned less and less, until decades would pass with only a seldom few being taken. Because of this, their knowledge of the outside world dwindled, until they could only guess as to how the worlds had changed. It was clear now that they had underestimated. It seemed that the spirits had withdrawn from the Human World, and the inhabitants of both worlds no longer knew what happened in each other's realms. Both had made significant leaps of evolution, and wonders he could never have imagined were now considered commonplace and simple. He was suddenly grateful for his new form; it fit into this strange new world in a way he would have otherwise found troublesome. Not to mention his true form was too recognizable. Despite the annoyance of being stuck with the form of a weak creature, appearing as a simple river spirit wouldn't attract attention, and that was what mattered. The owner of the form wouldn't be any the wiser, assuming it even woke up at all. Even thousands of years later, the name Susano-o was still known. Not by all, but still enough. His sister had retained her power, and as long as they knew her as their ruler, they would know him as their enemy. Soon the tables would be turned though. Soon his dear sister would be dead, and he would rule the two worlds as was his destiny.

All he had to do was kill the human girl, and there would be no one left to expose him. He could sense her presence, whether it was by her bond to this creature, or simply by his own connection to the Spirit World. Either way, she would be easy prey.

He was pulled from his thoughts as a bright light on the water grew larger. It was a grand ship, covered in lights, and it would be the passage to the start of his journey. As the ship docked, he cast a simple illusion, masking him from sight, and slipped aboard.

He was about to go below deck, when he overheard a snippet of conversation between two of the ship's departing passengers. They spoke of a band of demons called Hyakki Yagyō, who'd been traveling through the Spirit World's countryside, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Their leader went by the name Nurarihyon, and was said to be a ruthless killer.

_Perhaps it's time to make some friends, _he smiled.

All rights to Spirited Away characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki. (But most of the characters in this chapter are from Japanese mythology.)

SO MUCH RESEARCH WENT INTO THIS CHAPTER. I've been meaning to brush up on my Japanese mythology, and I went a little overboard... I think it was worth it though! A few quick facts about Japanese mythology that might be helpful:

1.) Yomi (shortened name) = Japanese Underworld

2.) Susano-o = (Short for Susano-o No Mikoto) The Japanese God of Storms and the Sea. Brother and sometimes rival of Goddess Amaterasu Omikami. In some versions of the myth he is said to have been banished from the Heavens (the reasons vary) to the Underworld but before leaving challenged his sister Amaterasu and lost. He then went to the human world instead of the Underworld and rescued a young woman from an eight-headed serpent. He then married the woman and built a palace for them to live in. In some myths he is reckless and cruel, in others he shows a kinder side. For the purposes of this story, we won't see much of that kind side.

3.) Amaterasu Omikami = Goddess of the Sun as well as head deity, and sister to Susano-o. It is said that the Imperial Family (rulers of Japan) were her descendants. Her personality varies depending on the myth. For the purposes of this story she's good. For the most part.

4.) The whole thing about Susano-o killing his family and being drained of his power by Amaterasu is something I made up though. I'm sort of mangling Japanese mythology. (Sorry!)

Feedback on my other story would be sincerely appreciated! It's currently posted on FictionPress under the same screen name I use here, and is called Zhilan's Story. It's the first multi-chapter story with all oc characters I've written, and I'd really like to know what people think of it! Thank you all for reading my fanfic and leaving such nice comments!


	14. Spirited Away 2,Chihiro's Story: Part 13

_"I've never seen stars so bright," _Chihiro thought dreamily to herself. There was something both beautiful and daunting about the immensity of the un-ending sky above her. It was so close too, as if she could reach out between the tree tops and touch the heavens... She frowned. Something was wrong.

_"The stars don't look right. Where's the dragon?" _She wondered, trying to think through the fog in her head. It was her favorite constellation, and should have been clearly visible in the early summer sky. Yet the patterns she saw were completely foreign…Maybe if she found a clearing… Chihiro tried to pull herself up, and was met with a wave of pain that made her gasp. The pain snapped her out of her daze though, and she realized that it wasn't just the odd stars that had been bothering her, it was the trees. More specifically, where had they come from? The last thing she remembered was the parade. Where was Kiyomi? Where was the _city? _She was in the middle of a forest, without any sign of civilization in sight. Trying very hard not to panic, Chihiro slowly stood up; wincing at the pain radiating through the back of her skull. It felt like someone had filled half of her head with cotton so she couldn't think straight, and the other half with needles so she couldn't move. She waited a few minutes and tried again, after the pain had faded a bit.

Chihiro carefully got to her feet, turning in a circle to view the whole clearing, and promptly walked into a wooden pole. Rubbing her head, she looked up and saw that the pole was actually a part of the tori gates towering above her.

"That's weird," Chihiro muttered to herself, squinting to read the faded symbols on it. All she could make out was "Welcome".

"Why would someone build tori gates in the middle of a forest?" She wondered aloud. "There aren't any temples he-," Chihiro froze. Of course! Tori gates marked the entrance to a temple, or at least a shrine! That meant there were people nearby! All she had to do was find the temple, and there would be someone who could help her get home. She quickly scanned the clearing again. There! The path through the trees was a little overgrown, but now that she knew what to look for, it was easy enough to spot.

Chihiro ran eagerly down the path, intent only on reaching the temple and finding her way home. The thought that maybe the temple was abandoned flittered across her mind, but she quickly pushed it away as the rooftop came into view. The path suddenly opened into another clearing, and as Chihiro stumbled forward, she felt her heart sink. The temple was in ruins.

No one had been there in quite some time, Chihiro realized, as she slowly walked towards the temple, taking in the crumbling stone walls and the vines that had begun to reclaim the once strong structure. It didn't even have its guardian statues at the base of the steps anymore.

It was a temple devoted to the god Inari, she noted, looking up at the inscription on the temple's doors as she cautiously tested the strength of the stone steps. The adrenaline she'd felt at the thought of returning home had vanished, and Chihiro suddenly felt the weight of her predicament. She was stranded out here all alone without any way home, in some stupid abandoned temple... Chihiro was suddenly furious, and she kicked a piece of rubble into the nearby bushes.

"_Hey!_" A voice whined, "Watch it!"

Chihiro froze. "Hello?" she called, staring at the clump of bushes the voice had come from.

"Yeah, hello to you too," the voice, Chihiro decided it sounded male, said sarcastically. "Is this always how you greet people? Trespass on their private property and then throw a chunk of stone at their head?"

"I-I'm sorry," Chihiro stuttered, still trying to see the person she talking was to. "I didn't see you there. Y-you said this was your property? Then you know how I can get back to the city?" She asked eagerly.

"What are you blind or something? I'm standing right here," he said from behind her.

Chihiro turned around and stifled a gasp. Taking a step back she rubbed her eyes, not believing what she saw.

"Are you alright?" He asked, twitching his ears warily. Chihiro gaped at him, trying to except what she was seeing. The person she'd been talking wasn't a person at all, he was a fox.

All rights to Spirited Away characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki.

I sincerely apologize for the long time between chapters! Hopefully the following chapters will make up for it...Comments are always welcome!


	15. SA2 Chihiro's Story: Part 14

"Y-you're a fox," she said in shock.

"Really? I thought I was a water spirit! Thanks for clearing that up…" He said, rolling his eyes as much as a fox could. "And I'm not just a fox, I'm a _kitsune_," he said, sounding offended.

Chihiro looked at him blankly. He wasn't very big she noted, maybe he wasn't full grown. His fur was dark orange with black tipped ears and paws, and he had a fluffy tail. She suddenly realized he was talking again.

"Y'know, a _kitsune," _he said, looking at her expectantly. "Shape-shifting trickster spirits, messengers of the glorious god Inari, guardians of His sacred temples, nothing? None of this is ringing a bell?" He sighed as Chihiro shook her head. "What kind of back-water spirit village did _you _come from?" He muttered under his breath.

"Hey! I heard that!" She scowled. "Wait, village?"

"_That's _what you took from all that?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"You mean there's a town around here?" Chihiro asked, ignoring him. If she could find a phone and call her parents everything would go back to normal. She'd have some explaining to do, but she could figure something out, after she went to the hospital of course. She'd obviously hit her head harder than she realized, how else could she be talking to a fox? She was pulled from her thoughts as a cold breeze made her shiver, why was it this cold in the summer? _Unless…that would make more sense_…_Maybe I never woke up at all, _Chihiro thought to herself. _That must be what happened. This is just…a really vivid dream. That's all. _

"Wait," the fox said, stiffening. "I smell something," he whispered, narrowing his eyes. He sniffed the air a few times, before jerking his head up with a gasp. "But that's impossible… How could it have gotten here?" He looked around the clearing, before turning to Chihiro.

"Listen you; guarding the border is an important part of my job. Stay here, and don't touch _anything_,_" _he said sternly, before darting into the forest.

"Wait!" Chihiro called after him. "Where are you… going…?" She trailed off as he disappeared.

_Well, _Chihiro thought to herself as the cold made her shiver again. _Going inside the temple is _technically _staying here. Besides, this is just a dream. It's not like I can get into any real trouble. _With that thought, Chihiro pushed open the temple doors and stepped inside.

…

As Chihiro had thought, there wasn't much of anything in the temple besides rubble. The roof had partially caved in, and it wasn't much warmer inside the temple than it had been outside. She felt safer with walls around her though, and Chihiro decided to look around. Vines and other plants sprouted from cracks in the stone, and it seemed that eventually the entire temple would be reclaimed by nature. Stumbling through the dim moonlight filtering from the ceiling, something caught her eye. There was a broken statue at the back of the temple. Chihiro assumed it must have once resembled the god Inari before it crumbled, but it was one of the fox statues that flanked him that had caught her eye. There was something wedged in the statue's mouth. It was wrapped in cloth, but maybe if she pulled it out she could unwrap it and put it back before the fox returned…

Chihiro pulled the small object gently from the statue's mouth. She unwrapped the cloth carefully, and looked in confusion at what she held in her hand. It was a glass orb. Or at least, it _looked _like glass. It was lighter than she would have expected, and there was something almost…glowing inside of it.

Chihiro held it up to the moonlight to try and get a better look. She flinched in guilt as a voice rang out from behind her.

"I _told_ you not to touch anything!" The fox said angrily, running over to Chihiro. "Why are you even in the temple?"

"I was cold," Chihiro said guiltily. "And I saw this," she said, holding up the orb. "What is it?"

He froze.

"Nothing!" He said quickly.

He looked panicked, Chihiro noticed. Just then, another gust of wind blew through the temple, pushing Chihiro's hair in her face. When she pulled it back, she saw the fox's eyes narrow as he stared at her. He sniffed the air and smiled before speaking again.

"It's nothing," he said, soothing this time. "Just put it back, and I'll show you where that human village is."

"Really?" Chihiro asked. Maybe then she could finally wake up…

"Yeah, sure," he smiled, eyes glinting. "Just put it down, and I'll bring you to someone who can help you get home. Won't that be nice?" His voice sounded different than before…almost melodic. She felt calmer, and suddenly Chihiro believed him. It was just a piece of glass after all. All she had to do was put it down, and she then could go home…That _would _be nice…

Chihiro was about to do as he said, when something began nagging her. There was something he'd said before…_ "shape-shifting trickster spirits"… _

He was lying to her.

The realization came to her like a bucket of ice water, and she shook her head to clear her mind. The fox frowned, as if he could tell Chihiro was no longer under his spell.

"Just give me the hoshi-no-tama human girl, and everything will be fine," he growled, stepping towards her.

"Why should I?" Chihiro asked, taking a step back. He might not be very big, but his teeth looked sharp, as did his claws. This was starting to feel more like a nightmare…

"Because if you don't, I'll tear your throat out," he snarled, tensing his muscles as if he were about to jump.

"If you attack me I'll break it!" Chihiro said, as she felt her back hit the wall behind her. She held the orb up over her head.

"You wouldn't dare," he growled, though he didn't sound certain.

"Oh yeah? Try me," Chihiro said, tossing the orb from one hand to the other.

"Be careful!" He yelped, looking terrified.

"Why did you lie to me? Where's the town you're talking about? How do I get home?" Chihiro asked, still holding the orb threateningly. "And what is this thing?"

"I was just doing my job," he grumbled, never taking his eyes off the orb. "The village is a few hours south of here, but it's not what you're looking for. You can't get home from there."

"Why not?" She asked.

"Because it's a spirit village, you belong in the Human World," he explained.

"What do you mean 'Human World'? What other world is there?" Chihiro asked, beginning to panic. This was a very long dream… "Do you mean I'm dead and this is the afterlife?!"

"No!" He said. "You're in the Spirit World, but you're not dead, and humans don't belong here."

"Then how do I _get _home?" She asked.

"I-I don't know," he admitted. "But if you give me the hoshi-no-tama back, I'll bring you as far as the village."

"What good will that do me?" Chihiro asked. "You already said I couldn't get home from there. Or were you lying again?" She asked, holding the orb above her head once more.

"No! I wasn't lying," he said quickly. "Just hear me out. Even if I can't get you home, someone in the village might be able to. Just give me the hoshi-no-tama back." He didn't sound like he was trying to trick her this time, just desperate.

Chihiro hesitated. "How do I know you won't turn on me?" She asked.

"You just have to trust me," he growled, sounding frustrated again.

"Not good enough," Chihiro said. "I want you to swear you'll help me find a way home."

He hesitated.

"You know, I've always been kind of clumsy. I might just, drop this," Chihiro said, letting the orb drop from one hand to the other.

"Stop!" He shouted. "Alright! Alright. I'll swear on it."

"Good," Chihiro said. She'd been almost certain he would agree. Almost.

He sighed. "Bring the hoshi-no-tama over here." As Chihiro did so, the fox scratched three shallow lines across his other paw. He held the wound over the glass orb and let three drops of blood drip onto it. He then clawed Chihiro's wrist, leaving three red lines of blood.

"Oww!" Chihiro said, surprised. "What did you do that for?"

"I'll explain later, just hold your wrist over the hoshi-no-tama. Quickly! Before the blood drips out."

"It's a good thing blood doesn't bother me," Chihiro said to herself as she held her wrist over the orb. It glowed brighter, and Chihiro squinted to see what was inside through the orb's thick glass as it illuminated the space around them.

"Now," the fox said, "you must say the words "I, then your name, bind Akimitsu the kitsune, to fulfill his oath to me, on the risk of his third level status. You have to use your first and last name human, otherwise it won't work. Names have power."

_Where have I heard that before? _Chihiro wondered. Something else was bothering her now…she just didn't know what… She paused for a minute, before shaking her head and turning back to the glass orb.

"I, Chihiro Ogino, bind Akimitsu the kitsune to fulfill his oath to me, on the risk of his third level status," Chihiro said.

"Good," Akimitsu nodded, pulling away from her. "Now, the hoshi-no-tama if you don't mind."

"Here," Chihiro said, handing him the orb. Its light had faded a bit, but it continued glowing. She still couldn't tell what was wrong, but something else had occurred to her. "You never answered my question before. What is that thing?"

Akimitsu paused before answering. "It's part of my soul."

"What?" Chihiro exclaimed. "How is that possible?"

"All kitsunes have their own hoshi-no-tama. Whenever they shape-shift into their fox form, they keep their human soul in it. If the hoshi-no-tama is stolen or broken," he stopped to glare at Chihiro, "than the kitsune is stuck as a fox for the rest of their life. That's why we keep them hidden. If someone steals the hoshi-no-tama and then finds the kitsune it belongs to, they can force him or her to fulfill one oath to them."

"What happens if you break your oath?" She asked.

"You could be stuck as a fox, or worse, lose your rank status," Akimitsu said.

"You mentioned that in the oath, what's rank status?" Chihiro asked.

"There are nine levels of status for kitsune. The higher the rank, the stronger and more respected you are. If you reach rank nine, well you're a legend," he said, sounding wistful.

"So you still have six more levels," Chihiro said. "What do most kitsune get to?"

Akimitsu avoided her questioning gaze, before muttering something under his breath.

"What'd you say?" Chihiro asked, straining to hear his reply.

"Seven okay?!" He snarled.

"Okay, okay," Chihiro said, putting her hands up. "I was just curious."

"Whatever," Akimitsu grumbled.

"So what do kitsune do?" Chihiro asked, trying to change the subject.

"We're Inari's messengers," Akimitsu said, still not looking at her. "We also guard His temples."

"You mentioned that before," Chihiro said. "But what are you guarding it from?"

"We're actually guarding the borders His temples mark," Akimitsu explained. "They're built on the edge of the Spirit World and the Human World. Guardian kitsune make sure nothing comes from or goes to the other world. Without us, your little world would be overrun with demons and rouge kami. Basically, we keep the entire Universe safe. You're welcome," he smirked, apparently over his earlier embarrassment.

Chihiro stared at him with wide eyes. "This is the weirdest dream I've ever had," she stated.

His smirk faded. "Dream?" He asked.

"I mean, I had some strange dreams as a kid," Chihiro continued. "But Spirit Worlds? Guardian foxes? This takes the cake."

"You think…this is a _dream_?" Akimitsu asked, looking at her in disbelief. "Oh man, you must have lost more blood than I realized. You'd better cover that up," he said, nodding to the still bleeding scratches on her wrist. "Here," he said, picking up the cloth the hoshi-no-tama had been in with his teeth. "Wrap it in this. It might sting though."

"Ok," Chihiro said, taking the cloth. "Oww!" She exclaimed as soon as the cloth touched her wound. "That hurt!"

"I told you," Akimitsu said.

"Wait a minute…" Chihiro said, frowning. "That hurt."

"You'll live," he said.

"No, you don't understand, you can't get hurt in dreams…" She trailed off. You weren't supposed to feel the cold either…

_ NO_. She told herself. It wasn't true. It couldn't be...

"Hey," Akimitsu said, snapping Chihiro out of her daze. "Did you hear me?"

Chihiro ignored him, slowly pressing on her wrist again, flinching at the sudden pain.

"No…" She whispered, staring in horror at the blood dripping down her arm. "No, no, no, no, no…NO!" She shrieked, jumping up and running towards the temple doors.

"Hey!' Akimitsu yelled after her. "Where are you going?!"

Chihiro didn't answer him, but ran down the temple steps and blindly stumbled down the path she had come from. Only when she got to the Tori gates she had seen when she'd first woken up did she stop. Falling to the ground, Chihiro pulled her knees up to her chest and began to cry. She could hear Akimitsu calling her name, but she covered her ears and began rocking back and forth.

"It's just a dream, it's just a dream," she murmured to herself. "Disappear, disappear, it's just a dream…"

Sitting alone, in the middle of the forest, Chihiro Ogino cried until she fell into an exhausted sleep. And then she began to dream.

All rights to Spirited Away characters belong to Hayao Miyazaki.

I'm not a big fan of this chapter. It has SO MUCH DIALOUGE. I think it's the most I've ever written in one chapter... The next chapter should be a nice change a pace! It might just feature a favorite river spirit of mine. I shall try my hardest to continue with somewhat regular updates! At the least, I'll make sure I write a chapter a month. So, what do you think of Akimitsu the kitsune? Charming? Devious? Untrustworthy? Comments are always welcome!

*Most everything I wrote about kitsune is true, according to Japanese myth. However, a few details I changed to fit the story line. Sorry Japanese mythology!


	16. Spirited Away 2 Haku's Story: Part 15

Something was wrong.

That was the first thing Kohaku thought as he struggled to clear the fog in his mind. His head was _aching_. The ground beneath him was hard, and the air smelled sour. Unfamiliar sounds echoed through his skull, and he struggled to make sense of his surroundings. He managed to crack one of his eyes open, and was met with a blinding light that made his head ache even more. Squeezing his eyes shut, he tried to remember what had happened.

_Where am I? _He wondered. _How did I get here? _The last thing he remembered was the sunlight fading as he began the incan- He stiffened.

The incantation.

His memories began to return in flashes; slowly, then faster and faster.

He'd started chanting. Yubaba had appeared. She'd tried to destroy his spell. She'd shown him a vision of the Human World. He'd seen- He froze as the rest of his memories returned.

He'd seen Chihiro.

His heart clenched as he remembered the look on her face. Zeniba had been right.

Chihiro had forgotten him. And she'd been happy.

_She swore, we _both _swore, that we'd find each other one day. How could she have forgotten? _Kohaku wondered.

_You don't know that for sure though, _he tried to reason. _They might have just been friends…_but even as he thought it, Kohaku was reminded of Chihiro's smile when she looked at the human boy. He'd felt so overjoyed when he first saw her…now he just felt…empty.

_Pity won't solve anything, _he reminded himself sternly. _I still don't know where I am, there may be more…immediate things to worry about. _He wasn't sure what the shikigami had done, but it obviously hadn't killed him. It was what it had done that worried him. He didn't know much about shikigami, but he was fairly sure that having one turn on you was not a good thing. He couldn't believe that something made of a material as fragile as paper could channel something so strong. Then again…the flock of shikigami Zeniba had once sent after him had been plenty strong…He shuddered at the memory as he attempted to open his eyes once more. The light was bright, but not unbearable. The pain he felt as he tried to stand  
was another story. He struggled to his feet as his eyes adjusted to the light, and froze at the sight of what he saw.

He was in an alley way; that much was clear. And the sour smell came from the dumpsters lined against the walls. The blinding light had been the sun high overhead. That was where any familiarity with his surroundings ended. The buildings were oddly shaped, and there were metal boxes on wheels rushing down the black path beyond the alley. The sound they made was a bit similar to the noise of the train running down the tracks past the bathhouse, but these were much smaller, and unlike anything he'd ever seen.

The realization hit him suddenly, and Kohaku cursed himself for not realizing it earlier. It was like nothing he'd ever seen because such things didn't exist in his world. Except he wasn't in his world anymore, he was in the Human World.

….

Pulled from his thoughts, Kohaku heard voices, and flattened himself against the alley's shadowed wall behind one of the dumpsters.

_ It looks as if there's been a festival,_ he noted. Paper lanterns and colorful streamers littered the ground. The voices grew louder, and he went still as they stopped in front of the alley.

"This is where you last saw her?" A woman's voice asked. Kohaku slowly peered around the edge of the dumpster, careful not to make a sound. There were three people; the adult woman, who was dressed in some sort of dark blue uniform, and a boy and girl who seemed to be the same age. The girl was trying to hold back tears, and the boy looked close to crying as well. There was something familiar about them…

"Yes," the girl said, her voice numb. "I saw her run down here and then I lost her in the crowd. It's my fault, I should have _followed _her. If it weren't for me, Chihiro would still be here," the girl insisted.

Kohaku froze. He knew where he'd seen them before; they'd been standing next to Chihiro in the vision Yubaba had shown him.

"It's not your fault Kiyomi," the boy said, putting his arm around her.

"Yes it _is _Akio!" She said, distraught. "What kind of person lets her best friend run off like that?"

The boy continued to try and comfort her as the woman asked more questions, but Kohaku wasn't listening. He was fixated on what the girl had said. Chihiro was…gone? Worried, he debated getting closer. Moving silently, Kohaku crept slowly forward, until he was as close as he dared to be. It was well into the day, but the sun's position cast the alley full of shadows, concealed him well enough from sight.

"Did you see her approach anyone, or did anyone else approach her?" The woman was asking.

"N-no," Kiyomi sniffled.

"Do have any idea why she came this way?"

"She told my cousin she was thirsty," Akio cut in, furiously wiping his eyes dry. "I think she was going to one of the vendor's stalls."

"Your cousin?" The woman asked, flipping through her pad of paper. "Makoto Itou?"

"Yes," he said.

"And what kind of relationship did Miss Ogino have with your cousin?"

Kohaku stiffened.

"None really. Last night was the first time they'd met," Akio said.

Kiyomi spoke again, and her voice was almost level. "I-I set her up with him. I thought I was doing something nice for her, but I don't think she was having a good time. She'd just seemed so distant lately…and I thought this would cheer her up."

Akio laughed half-heartedly, "I think she cheered up when she couldn't hear him anymore. I told him to lay off with the stupid jokes…"

"Was she having any problems at home?"

"No! No, none that I know of," Kiyomi said. She and Akio continued to answer questions, but Kohaku had stopped listening.

He was busy trying to control the surge of hope that had welled inside him. He couldn't stop the smile that crept over his features at the thought of the boy's words though. _Chihiro didn't know that human boy…And it seems she didn't want to, _he thought happily to himself, temporarily forgetting his worry. He was reminded of it a moment later though, when he was pulled from his thoughts once again.

"She didn't bring anything with her then? No purse or phone?" The woman asked.

"No," Kiyomi answered. "She had some money in her pocket, but she was afraid if she brought a purse it would get stolen. The same with her phone, since I told her she could just borrow mine if she needed it." 

The woman scribbled something else in her paper before looking up. "Nothing else?"

"No that's-" Kiyomi began to say before freezing. "Wait! She did have something else!"

Akio and the woman looked at her expectantly.

"The little paper figure I gave her! They were selling them at some of the stalls…shigi, shini something…" She trailed off.

"Shikigami?" Akio asked.

"Yes!" She exclaimed, suddenly hopeful. "A shikigami! Does that help?" Kiyomi asked, turning to the woman hopefully.

"Well," the woman began, eyeing the decorations littering the streets. "There were more than a few of those sold," she said carefully. "But every detail helps," she added quickly, seeing Kiyomi's expression.

Her shoulders slumped. "Oh, right."

"Is there anything else?" Akio asked sadly.

"I think that's all for now," the woman said gently "I'll be in touch if either of you think of something, please feel free to call." She gave them a small slip of paper and began to walk away.

"Wait," Kiyomi called.

The woman turned around. "Yes?"

"Do you think we'll find her?" Kiyomi asked.

The woman paused, looking torn.

"Please, don't lie to me," Kiyomi said, seeing her expression.

She gave a deep sigh and said "It's too soon to know for sure." She began to turn away, but stopped and said with true regret: "I'm sorry."

As she walked away, Kiyomi hung her head and the tears she'd held back began to fall.

"Hey," Akio said, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Why are you crying? There's still a chance, that officer just said it was too soon to tell."

"She didn't mean it," Kiyomi cried.

"How do you know that?" Akio asked.

"Because," Kiyomi whispered. "she apologized."


End file.
